Now You're On Your Own
by charlieff
Summary: Something happen's on Harvey's lunch break and it keeps playing on his mind. Maybe he's more of the caring type than he thought.


Finally, a break from the office and time to grab a coffee and a bagel. It had been a hard morning, a _trying_ morning, it seemed as if everyone had been out to test his temper today. Or maybe it was just him but then he'd never admit that. He thanked the vendor and made his way over to a vacant bench, wanting to escape the office for a little while. He was running through cases in his head, or one particular case trying to pick out the loophole, there was one he was sure of it, there _had_ to be one. And damn Mike Ross for not finding it for him yet, it was his goddamn job. He must have been thinking hard because he didn't notice the person slip onto the empty space beside him. Well he did notice - but only when she spoke up.

"Are ya gonna eat that or just hold it?" She questioned him directly looking pointedly at the half open - but yet untouched - bagel on his lap, before looking up at him. He turned his head to scowl lightly at her, clutching his coffee in his hand before turning away. She didn't think he would deign to answer her but eventually...

"Is it a habit for you to ask what people are doing with their lunches?" He finally turned back to look at her, scowl fading as he scrutinized the girl beside him. And she really was a girl. If he had to guess she was under 15 years old, a child more than she was a teenager. Her long brown hair was pulled haphazardly out of her face into a messy bun and her clothing style seemed equally slap-dash. Comic-book style leggings, a pair of converse that looked like they had definitely seen better days (the soles were coming away from the toes) and a thin parka covering a plain burgundy t-shirt. Now if it were just anyone looking at her they might just see a scruffy teenager skipping school, after all it was only just approaching two o'clock in the middle of the working week. But Harvey wasn't just anyone, he read people and though he couldn't quite put his thumb on it yet there was something _off_ with the young girl sat beside him.

"Worth a shot." She shrugged before he could ask another question, leaning back against the bench and turning to look at him, this time it was her turn to scrutinize him. Not that she got much a chance before he questioned her gaze, maybe he wasn't used to being stared at but she quickly struck out that thought. He looked like the kind of guy used to getting attention.

" _What?_ "

"You a banker?"

It got a huff of laughter from him. "No"

"Hrm. Surgeon?"

"Don't have the fingers."

A laugh from her this time. They sat in silence for a while, facing the traffic, Harvey sipping his drink, bagel still untouched on his lap, the girl hugging her rucksack to her chest. "You're a lawyer."

"How could you tell?" He smirked, still not looking back at her but he was impressed. Sure it'd taken her three guesses and there were only so many professions that could afford a suit like his, still, she was just a kid. A very astute one by the sounds of things.

"Your watch, I didn't notice it before. Looks lawyer-y." She said nonchalantly, looking over at him with a smirk of her own.

"Here." The girl eyed the bagel proffered to her for a moment but she didn't need telling twice. She almost snatched it out of his hands but she had a little more self control than that. Just... She couldn't quite stop herself from taking a bite as soon as it was in front of her, stomach rumbling with neglect. It had been just over 24 hours since she'd last had anything more substantial than an apple and Harvey felt a pang of something-that-so-wasn't-an-emotion in his chest as he watched her hungrily devour what he'd given her. He looked away, sipping at his coffee again, telling himself he wasn't interested but really he didn't want her to see the pitying look on his face. He wasn't going to get involved, this wasn't his problem. There were way more runaway kids in this city than there should be and a lot of them didn't have a place to go at the end of the day, it wasn't right but it was how the world worked.

It didn't stop him from suddenly feeling uncomfortable in his $2,000 dollar suit.

"Thanks." She said finally, wrapping up half of the bagel she hadn't eaten and stuffing it in her pocket. He noticed this and frowned, she'd practically given herself indigestion at the speed she'd eaten the first half, why not eat it all? And then he realised, she probably didn't know when her next meal was going to be, at least she had half a bagel to fall back on. Harvey sighed, that pang he had felt in his chest sank to his gut, he knew he should do something but he didn't know what.

"Don't mention it." He finished his coffee and looked back at her, his tone taking a more serious edge as he spoke again. "So, how long are you planning on running away for?" If the question startled her she didn't show it, however she did seem to grimace at the revelation that he knew what she was doing.

"Well, I don't plan on going back." She muttered with more bitterness in her voice than he thought possible for a girl of her age. _Don't get involved, don't get involved._

"Maybe you shoul-"

The girl hurriedly got to her feet, though she didn't shoot off straight away, turning to face him as he too stood from his seat. She knew what he was thinking, that she was just some angsty teenager who had a fight with mom and dad and had made some hasty decision. He was wrong. "Thanks for the advice but I'm _fine_." She stated bluntly, looking up at him with her brows furrowed, hands wrapped around the straps of her bag.

Harvey stuffed his hands in his pockets, raising an eyebrow as he looked down at her. _Teenagers,_ they thought they were invincible. "I say you'd last a week, tops."

"How much you bet?"

"If you make it a week? Five hundred dollars." Harvey said without hesitation, he was quite confident in his estimation, the kid couldn't survive a week on the streets alone, she'd give up and go back to her family at the first hint of a rainy night. Plus the police or social services would likely pick her up after a couple of days.

"Well then you owe me _five hundred dollars, mister._ Because I've been out here for _three months._ " She couldn't help but smirk as she saw his jaw slacken, it was a slight movement but she saw it nevertheless.

"That's not safe, kid. I can have social services down here in two minutes." His tone suddenly stern, as his concern grew. If he did nothing and something happened to the kid then he'd feel bad, maybe even a little guilty. Plus if it lead back to him somehow then it wouldn't do great things for his reputation. He could see it now _"Cold Hearted Lawyer Leaves Teen Runaway For Dead"_ \- it was not the headline he wanted to be recognized for.

"Please!" She guffawed, as if it was the funniest thing somebody had said to her in a long time. "You couldn't get them down here in two days let alone two minutes."

"I have my connections." He shot back.

"And they'd still have to find me." The response was just as quick as his. And it was true, child services were infamously short staffed, even Harvey Specter couldn't demand they come out to look for a kid who could likely vanish into thin air if she wanted to. And she was just about to prove that. Spinning on her heel she quickly disappeared into the crowd but not before shouting. "Five hundred dollars!" And leaving Harvey watching, his eyes searching for her in the afternoon crowd but he knew he wouldn't catch sight of her now.

Rubbing a hand over his face he turned and strode back towards Pearson Hardman, determined to see if Donna could find anything on this kid at all. She'd be on the missing persons list right? Did Donna have access to that? It was Donna, of course she had access. He'd buy her a latte on the way back to the office in order to make up for his terrible mood this morning...and in the hopes she'd complete the task, no questions asked.


End file.
